Clasp



(No Model.)

A. SHEDLOOK.

v I CLASP. No. 594,568. Patented Nov. '30, 1897.

INVENTOR -%u 'ATTORNEYQ THE Nunms Pzvzns cu. PuoTo-uma, WASHINGYON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ALFRED sHEDLooK, OF JERsEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,568, dated November 30, 1897.

Application filed March 22, I897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SHEDLooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

The improved clasp forming the subject of this invention is designed to hold and sustain garments and for allied purposes. Its construction and operation will be fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of a clasp embodying my invention and shown applied to a piece of fabric. Fig. 2 is arear View of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the jaws open to receive the fabric. Fig.4. is a sectional view on line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5 5, Fig. 2. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively, front and side elevations'of another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 8 is a sectional View on the line 8 8, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a front view of a modification. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view on line 10 10, Fig. 9. Fig. llis a transverse sectional view on line 11 11, Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is afront elevation showing other modifications in the construction of the clasp. Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional View on line 13 13, Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a detached view of the inner inclined gripping-jaw. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of another modification.

The clasps shown in the drawings are composed of two essential parts or members, the main or suspended member in Figs. 1 to 5 being composed of apiece of wire A, bent into loop form, with the upper parts of the sides parallel and the lower parts inclined, tapering toward the lower end of the loop, the ends of the wire being bent over to form a bar A at the upper end. The inclined parts A A of the sides constitute the gripping-jawsof this member of the clasp. The other part or member B consists of a flat block made of hard rubber or other suitable material an'd having its sides inclined and grooved to correspond to and partly embrace the inclined rounded jaws A A of the stationary member. These inclined grooved sides constitute the gripping-jaws B B of this member,

at Fig. 5.

Serial No. 628,580. (No model.)

and they interlock with the jaws A A when the inclined parts of the two members are brought together. The upper end of this member Bis of a width to slide freely between the parallel parts of the sides of the member A, and the front above the grooved sides is wider than the back, below the grooved sides B B, and extends laterally partly over the sides of the member A, the back being of such a width as to enter between the sides of the member A when the member B is located at the upper end of the member A, as shown at Fig. 2. The front of this member 13 may be formed the same as the back to permit this member to swing in both directions out of the loop.

In a hole formed through the upper end of the member B is placed a Wire 0, the ends of which are formed into eyes which embrace thesides of the member A, as clearly shown This constitutes a connection for the two members, admits of the member 13 swinging away from the member A for the admission of the goods between them, and

provides for it being arranged with its grooved inclined jaws in a plane with the rounded inclined jaws of the member A, and'allows the member B to slide up and down on the member A.

The means of suspension is attached to the bar A. In this case it is shown as a cord D, connected to bar A by means of a clamp E, formed of sheet metal and so shaped as to embrace the cord and the bar and also to embrace and cover the upper ends of the sides of the member A. This clamp may be set in position so as to hold the upper ends of the sides of A rigid, or a certain amount of freedom may be given these sides in fitting these parts together to allow the inclined sides A A facility for yielding when the clasp is being applied to heavy goods F.

In applying the clasp to the goods the member B is swung away from the member A while in its upper position and the edge of the goods placed between them. The member B is then pressed down in a plane with the member A and the goods clamped between them and but slightly distorted and in straight lines by easy folds around the applied to the goods the member B will by frictional contact therewith be drawn down with the goods farther into the inclined jaws A A thus causing the goods to be firmly gripped and held between the interlocking jaws, no different or greater distortion of the goods occurring during this action than what was initially imparted to them, although by the wedging action of the member 13 in the member A the tighter will be the grip on the goods the greater the strain theyare submitted to. This feature gives the clasp the f unctions of a self-gripping device.

In the construction of clasps according to this invention the angle of the inclined gripping-jaws will be sufficiently acute to insure that the member B will remain normally in the inclined jaws of the member Awhen the clasp is in use, and the length of the inclined jaws will be such as to give sufiieient sliding movement between them to provide the proper gripping of all classes and thicknesses of goods any sized clasp is designed to be applied to. It will be observed that all of the strands or fibers of the goods clamped between all parts of the rounded inclined gripping-jaws are subjected to an equal uniform stress to resist any strain imparted to the goods, and as such strands or fibers are quite numerous the liability of tearing the goods, even when of the most delicate fabric, is reduced to a minimum. It will also be observed that these clasps are quite thin and flat, which is an important feature in such devices when applied to wearing-apparel, and that the distortion of the goods is such as to impart no permanent injury to them.

All of the different forms of elasps shown in the other views of the drawings have the general characteristics and perform their functions under the same principle of operation as the form of clasp before described, and where the parts of these modifications are of the same construction as the described clasp then the same reference-letters are used and particular description of such parts will be unnecessary.

The only difference in construction of the two members A A A and B B of the views Figs. 6, 7, and S is that the outside member, made of a single piece of wire, as before, has straight sides converging in right lines from the bar A and is left open at the lower end, thus imparting resilience to the jaws A A The connecting device for holding the two members together comprises two pieces of wire G G, formed with eyes to embrace the side A, with the ends brought together and seated in the hole formed through the upper end of the member B, as clearly shown at Fig. 8. The means of suspension is represented as a piece of webbing H, with its end wrapped around the bar A and held firmly thereto by a shield I of sheet metal.

At Figs. 9, 10, and 11 the main member is made of a piece of sheet metal bent, as shown, to form a closed backJ and rounded edges J J, partly parallel and partly inclined, with reentering grooves between these edges and the back J. The upper end of this part is folded over to receive the suspending-cord D. In outline this member is similar to the corresponding member of Fig. 6. The slidingblock member B is substantially the same as the others, the means for connecting it to the part J J consisting of the piece of wire K, bent into crank form, located in the hole of the block,with its ends arranged to slide in the reentering grooves under the rounded edges of the other member, as clearly shown at Fig. 11. The member A A A of wire, of Figs. 12 and 13 is shown attached to the supportingwebbing L in such manner that the webbing forms a back for the clasp. The webbing passes around the bar A and is there held by the band of wire M, as shown at Figs. 12 and 13. The lower end of the webbing and the bottom of the loop of this member are fastened together by stitches, as shown, or by any other suitable means. A novel feature of construction of the sliding member is that it is provided with lugs N N at its extreme upper end, arranged to extend beneath the side bars of the other member and with projecting corners N N on its front a little below the lugs N .N and arranged to extend above the side bars A A. By this construction of the sliding member, which may be applied to any of the other forms previously described, such member is free to slide and swing in relation to the other member in the manner before described. Another change in the construction of this member is that it is made of a piece of sheet metal bent over onto itself from its upper end, with its front part N formed as shown and its rear part formed to pass between the sides of the other member when this member is located at the upper end of the loop. A piece of material 0, as india-rubber, of any desired degree of softness is placed between the back and front of this member and is held in position by spiked projections forced up from the sheet metal, so as to puncture it, as at O, and by a part of the front plate N being bent down and interlocked with the back plate, as at O The sides of this piece of rubber O are shaped to fit the inclined jaws A A and constitute the gripping-jaws of the sliding member.

Another style of connection for the two members A A A and B B is shown in perspective at Fig. 15. In this case the supporting-Webbing P is passed around the bar A and held firmly thereto. by a wire band Q, and the free end of the webbing is attached to the upper edge of the member B by being secured in a slot formed therein. Between the bar A and member B a sufficient length of the webbing is left to permit the members being brought together and to slide in relation to one another, as before described. Other ways of fastening the two members to the webbing may be employed, but the way shown is thought to be efficient. The sides of this member are straight, but inclined, be-

ing closer together at their lower ends than at their upper ends.

All of the corners and edges of all parts of the clasp will be rounded, and sharp corners and edges that will come in contact with the goods will be particularly avoided in the construction of the various parts.

One or both of the members of the different styles of clasp may be made spring-acting. This is a normal condition of such members as are made of wire. The solid members may have this condition imparted to them by being slit longitudinally,-as shown by the dotted lines on the member B of Fig. 9. An advantage of such resilience in the parts of the clasps is that the parts may be fitted so as to require a little force to bring their grippingjaws in one plane, thereby initially gripping the goods and insuring the proper traveling of the movable member with the goods, as before described. The gripping-jaws of the movable member may be scored or roughened, as represented by the lines in the grooved jaw of member B in Fig. 3, to cause more friction between the goods and the movable member than between the goods and the suspended member. 7

In this application claims are included covering,broadly,clasps embodying the operative and constructive principles of my invention as here shown and described and as shown and described in another application filed simultaneously herewith, Serial No. 628,581, filed March 22, 1897, in which the claims are limited to the particular construction of style of clasps there shown.

I claim as my invention- 1. A clasp comprising the combination of two members, one member having an open face whose sides converge at or toward one end forming gripping-surfaces,the other member having cooperating gripping-surfaces, the said members being so connected as to have their gripping-surfaces located in a common plane with the fabric clasped between them, one or both of said members being laterally spring-actin g to provide for a yielding action between the gripping-jaws of the two members.

. 2. In a clasp, the combination of an outer member having an open face whose sides form gripping-surfaces and are inclined convergently from their upper to their lower parts, a supporting webbing or cord attached to the upper end of this member, an inner member having cooperating gripping-surfaces formed to fit between the inclined gripping-surfaces of the outer member, and means for connecting the two members together.

3. In a clasp, the combination of an outer member having straight interior grippingv jaws formed by its sides inclined convergently from their upper to their lower parts, a supporting webbing or cord attached to the upper end of this member, an inner member having exterior gripping-jaws at its inclined sides formed to fit between the inclined jaws of the sides of the outer member and having ahole formed through its upper end, and a wire connection arranged in said hole, constituting a hinge for said member and formed to slide on the upper parts of the sides of the outer member.

4. In a clasp, the combination of an outer member made of wire formed with a bar at its upper end and sides extending therefrom inclined in straight lines inwardly at their lower parts, a supporting webbing or cord attached to the top bar of this member, an inner flat member having straight inclined grooved sides constituting with the inclined sides of the outer member the gripping-jaws of the clasp, and means for connecting the two members together.

5. In a clasp, the combination of an outer member made'of wire formed with a bar at its upper end and sides extending therefrom inclined in straight lines inwardly at their lower parts, a supporting webbing or cord attached to the top bar of this member, an inner flat member having straight inclined grooved sides constituting with the inclined sides of the outer member the gripping-jaws of the clasp, and a connection between the upper end of the inner member and the sides of the outer member.

6. In a clasp, the combination of an outer member made of Wire formed with a bar at its upper end and sides extending therefrom inclined inwardly at their straight lower parts, a supporting webbing or cord, a metal sleeve for connecting the webbing or cord to the top bar of this member, an inner flat member having straight inclined grooved sides constituting with the inclined sides of the outer member the gripping-jaws of the clasp, and a wire passed through a lateral hole formed in the upper end of the inner member and bent to embrace the sides of the outer member.

7. In a clasp, the combination of an outer member made of wire formed with a bar at its upper end and sides extending therefrom inclined inwardly at their lower parts, which join together in a loop, the bar at the upper end being divided at its central part thereby affording elasticity to the sides, a supporting Webbing or cord, attached to the top bar of this member, an inner fiat member having inclined grooved sides constituting with the inclined sides of the outer member the grippingjaws of the clasp, and a connection between the upper end of the inner member and the sides of the outer member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ALFRED SHEDLOOK.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER, O. D. LADLEY. 

